Schmallenberg virus, a novel orthobunyavirus infection in ruminants in Europe: Potential global impact and preventive measures

Abstract

In autumn 2011, Schmallenberg virus was the first orthobunyavirus detected in Europe. The virus belongs to the Simbu serogroup. Like other orthobunyaviruses, it is apparently transmitted by arthropod vectors, primarily by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). Ruminants and new-world camelids (alpacas) are susceptible to infection. Adult animals may develop mild disease, if any. However, transplacental infection can lead to severe congenital malformations such asarthrogryposis, malformation of the vertebral column (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis, torticollis) and of the skull (macrocephaly, brachygnathia inferior) as well as variable malformations of the brain (hydranencephaly, porencephaly, cerebellar hypoplasia, hypoplasia of the brain stem) and of the spinal cord in lambs, goat kids and calves. The infection spread rapidly over large parts of North-Western Europe. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom were affected in the transmission season 2011/2012. The disease has re-emerged, at least in France, Germany and the United Kingdom during the vector-active season in 2012 and recently spread to Austria, Finland, Poland, Switzerland and Sweden. It remains to be seen whether the infection will establish permanently in the affected area. Measures have been proposed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to help countries free from Schmallenberg virus to avoid the introduction of the infection without imposing inappropriate trade barriers. The aim of this article is to provide a state-of-the-art review on Schmallenberg virus 1 year after its first detection.

Key Words:

• Schmallenberg virus
• orthobunyavirus
• Akabane virus
• sheep
• cattle
• ruminants
• congenital malformations
• emerging disease
• vector
• biting midges

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Doris Kämer and Kathrin Teske for retrieving and preparing data for the epidemiological analysis.

Notes

¹ H. Schirrmeier, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

² FJ Conraths, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Wusterhausen, Germany